David Onyango Ochanda in USD 225,968.64.
In a breakthrough, detectives from the Operations Support Unit (OSU) have arrested David Onyango Ochanda, the man at the center of a high-level gold scam that duped an American investor out of USD 225,968.64.
According to authorities, the scam dates back to April 3, 2024, when the foreign investor arrived in Nairobi to finalize a supposed deal for 3,370 kilograms of gold. Everything appeared legitimate at first; the investor was taken to an office at Gate 53, Chalbi Drive, in Lavington, where he was presented with a formal Sales and Purchase Agreement.
To further cement the illusion, the investor witnessed what appeared to be a gold smelting process carried out by the seller’s representatives, a well-rehearsed trick used to gain the investor’s trust.
The scam deepened on April 25, 2024, when the investor was introduced to Toureg Insurance Brokers Limited, the company allegedly responsible for insuring the gold during transit. The contact person? David Onyango Ochanda, who posed as a legitimate broker. An addendum to the initial agreement was signed to include transit insurance, and an invoice totalling USD 226,012.76 was issued.
Trusting the process, the investor wired USD 225,968.64 to the insurance firm’s account. But the gold never showed up.
After months of investigation, OSU detectives finally closed in on David Onyango Ochanda, the director of Toureg Insurance Brokers Limited and the primary signatory of the account that received the funds. He was arrested in a meticulously coordinated operation earlier today.
David Onyango Ochanda is currently in police custody as investigations continue. He is set to appear in court for arraignment on Monday, August 18, 2025, to face charges related to the multimillion-shilling fraud.
This arrest marks a significant move in Kenya’s ongoing fight against fraudulent gold deals that continue to tarnish the country’s reputation internationally.
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